Lock down lifted from Ridgeland High after sighting of "larger than average cat"

Students were kept inside as a safety precaution after a teacher spotted the "large cat" roaming on Ridgeland High' Schools campus.

Friday, August 26th 2016, 3:10 pm EDT by WRCB Staff

Updated:

Friday, August 26th 2016, 11:12 pm EDT

UPDATE: A glimpse of a "larger than average cat" launched a lockdown at some Northwest Georgia schools Friday.

Students were kept inside as a safety precaution after a teacher spotted the "large cat" roaming on Ridgeland High' Schools campus.

Some students told us they thought it was a joke at first. The school went on a "soft lockdown" after one of the teachers saw some kind of "large cat" roaming on the hill behind the home football bleachers.

"We were in class, and we were going over something, and then our teacher got a call," said student Sarabeth Cavin. "Someone had reported that there was a bobcat outside the school, and we went into immediate small lockdown, just for safety."

Sheriff Steve Wilson said a teacher and two support employees noticed the cat, and alerted school administrators, which prompted the lockdown during second period.

"One of our teachers told us that there was, like, a wildcat outside," said student Taylor Gonzales.

"It's kinda funny, because we're the Panthers," said student Logan Walker, "but I didn't think there'd be a wildcat down here."

"I kind of thought it was a joke at first, because it's never happened before," Cavin said. "It was scary at first, but then nothing really happened."

After no more signs of the strange cat, the lockdown was lifted later in the morning.

"They told us we were off the lockdown, and everything was fine," said Cavin.

School officials told Channel 3, surrounding schools were included in the lockdown.

However, no one was worried about after school activities, because the Panthers played an away game tonight.

It's still unclear exactly what kind of animal was spotted on campus.

PREVIOUS STORY: A Walker County High School was placed on lock down today due to a sighting of a "larger than average cat."

Walker County Sheriff Steve Wilson confirmed the soft lock down at Ridgeland High School.

“A larger than average cat was seen early this A.M. on the hill behind the home football bleachers," Sheriff Wilson says. "A teacher and two support employees report seeing what appeared to be an animal that had characteristics of a larger cat."

The Sheriff says students were kept inside as a safety precaution.

Walker school officials confirmed that other surrounding schools were also included in the soft lock down.

Superintendent Damon Raines says the lock down was a preventative measure. Raines says it was lifted around noon.